Marine all-weather fighter attack squadron VMFA(AW)-242 "Bats" took their missionized F/A-18Ds south from their home base in Japan to drop bombs and spar over the Australian Outback. This video is a little taste of what one such training mission was like.

Seeing as the Bats are a forward deployed multi-role fighter squadron, they would be on the very front lines should hostilities breakout in the region. This means they have to train to an incredibly high state of readiness. Deploying and working with other friendly air arms in the region is all part of keeping their expeditionary warfare skills sharp and ready for actual use at any movement.

Tyler Rogoway is a defense journalist and photographer that maintains the website Foxtrot Alpha for Jalopnik.com You can reach Tyler with story ideas or direct comments regarding this or any other defense topic via the email address Tyler@Jalopnik.com